MLB News

Phillies Minor League Review: Aug. 29- Sept. 5

Philadelphia Phillies

Players of the Week

Player - OF Enmanuel Garcia, Williamsport… The 22-year-old batted .379 (11-29) with four doubles, three home runs, nine RBI, two walks, a stolen base and an .828 slugging percentage in seven games. He recorded three multi-hit games, including back-to-back three-hit performances on September 3-4. Garcia batted .291 in August, raising his average from .226 to .274 at season's end. The Dominican Republic native was signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent on April 2, 2013.

Players of the Week

Player - OF Enmanuel Garcia, Williamsport… The 22-year-old batted .379 (11-29) with four doubles, three home runs, nine RBI, two walks, a stolen base and an .828 slugging percentage in seven games. He recorded three multi-hit games, including back-to-back three-hit performances on September 3-4. Garcia batted .291 in August, raising his average from .226 to .274 at season's end. The Dominican Republic native was signed by the Phillies as an amateur free agent on April 2, 2013.

Pitcher - RHP Ben Lively, Lehigh Valley… Lively, 24, made his final start of the season on September 2, tossing 6.0 no-hit, no-walk innings while striking out 10 batters, a season-high in triple-A. It was his 18th win of the season between Reading and Lehigh Valley, most in the minor leagues in 2016. Lively tossed 6.0 or more innings in 15 of his 19 triple-A starts and allowed three earned runs or fewer in 15 as well. The right-hander led the International League in WHIP (0.93) and opponents' batting average (.196), was tied for first in wins (11) and ranked second in ERA (3.06). Lively was acquired from Cincinnati in exchange for Marlon Byrd and cash considerations on December 31, 2014.

Lehigh Valley IronPigs - International League North Division…85-58, 2nd place… Lehigh Valley clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2011, and just the second time in franchise history. They won five of their final eight games, earning their 18th shutout of the season with a 7-0 win in their final game. The IronPigs will face Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in a best-of-five series in the opening round of the playoffs beginning on September 7.

Top hitting performers - OF Cam Perkins batted .370 (10-27) with a double, three RBI, a walk, a stolen base and six runs scored… OF Cody Asche doubled twice, homered, drove in a run and walked twice while batting .360 (9-25)… C Andrew Knapp was 6-for-18 (.333) with a pair of doubles, a home run, an RBI, three walks and three runs scored.

Top pitching performers - RHP Ben Lively tossed 6.0 no-hit, no-walk innings with 10 strikeouts in his final start of the season. His only baserunner came on a fielding error. Lively was named Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week and International League Pitcher of the Week… RHP Phil Klein was 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA (1 ER, 13.0 IP) and 14 strikeouts in two starts… RHP David Buchanan made two starts, combining to allow just three runs (2 ER) in 13.0 innings (1.29 ERA) with two walks and 10 strikeouts.

Reading Fightin Phils - Eastern League Eastern Division …89-52, 1st place… After winning five of their final eight games, the Fightins secured both a second consecutive division title and the second-most wins in all of Minor League Baseball. Their 89 wins were the franchise's most since they won 96 games in 1983. Reading will begin postseason play on September 7 in Trenton to kick off a best-of-five series against the Thunder.

Top hitting performers - OF Dylan Cozens hit three home runs, the second of which gave Cozens new Reading single season records with 39 home runs and 123 RBI. The third home run made him the first Phillies minor leaguer with at least 40 homers since Ryan Howard hit 46 in 2004. Cozens drove in 11 runs in eight games last week… 1B Rhys Hoskins batted .357 (10-28) with a double, triple, home run, four RBI and seven runs scored. He finished with 38 home runs (2nd in MiLB) and 116 RBI (3rd in MiLB)… C Jorge Alfaro slugged three doubles and two home runs, drove in six runs, walked and scored seven times in six games. He batted .370 (10-27).

Top pitching performers - RHP Mark Leiter did not allow a run and scattered five hits in 6.0 innings during his lone start of the week. He struck out nine batters and walked one… RHP Victor Arano appeared in three games in relief, earning a save and tossing a total of 5.0 innings with one run allowed and eight strikeouts.

Clearwater Threshers - Florida State League North Division…43-25, 2ndplace, 82-54 overall….The Threshers went 5-1, and although they finished one game out of a playoff spot, they posted the best overall record in the Florida State League for the second straight season.

Top hitting performers - CF Carlos Tocci batted .412 (7-17) with three doubles and two RBI in four games played… 1B Kyle Martin was 6-for-17 (.353) with a double, triple, three RBI, three walks and a stolen base.

Top pitching performers -LHP Elniery Garcia made one start, striking out 11 batters in 7.0 innings while surrendering just a run on two hits… RHP Tommy Bergjans threw 6.2 innings of one-run ball in his first game in the Phillies organization… RHP Yacksel Rios was 1-0 with a save and allowed just a run in 5.0 innings over three games out of the bullpen.

Lakewood BlueClaws - South Atlantic League Northern Division…45-25, 1st place, 74-65 overall…. Lakewood won six of their final seven games, including six straight to end the season as they clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2010. Their 45 second-half wins were their second-most in a half in team history (47 in the second half of 2006). The BlueClaws also led the South Atlantic League in attendance for the 16th straight season. Lakewood's postseason will begin on September 7 with the first game of a best-of-three series against Hagerstown.

Top hitting performers - OF Mark Laird batted .400 (10-25) with three doubles, three RBI, four walks, two stolen bases and a 1.003 OPS. Laird batted .355 in 50 games between Williamsport and Lakewood, which is the highest batting average by any Phillies minor leaguer by more than 30 points (min. 180 AB).

Top pitching performers - RHP Franklyn Kilome tossed 6.0 shutout innings on September 4, striking out 10 batters and allowing only two hits… RHP Alberto Tirado also struck out 10 batters in 6.0 scoreless frames. He finished the season with 96 strikeouts in 61.1 innings for Lakewood… RHP Jose Taveras yielded only one hit in 6.0 shutout innings in his one start of the week. He struck out 10 batters… RHP Harold Arauz started two games, combining to pitch 13.0 innings with two earned runs allowed, one walk and 12 strikeouts.

Williamsport Crosscutters - New York-Penn League Pinckney Division…39-36, 2nd place… With a 5-3 record in the team's final week, Williamsport ensured that all of the Phillies' minor league affiliates would finish better than .500 for the first time since 1953.

Top hitting performers - OF Enmanuel Garcia was named Phillies Minor League Player of the Week after batting .379 (11-29) with four doubles, three home runs, nine RBI, two walks and a stolen base…OF Jesus Alastre batted .417 (10-24) with two doubles, a triple, three RBI and three stolen bases. He had multiple hits in four straight games from August 30 to September 3… OF Darick Hall homered in three straight games and drove in eight runs for the week. He also hit two doubles, and batted .345 (10-29).

Top pitching performers - RHP Adonis Medina made one start, pitching 6.0 innings and allowing two runs on five hits… LHP Cole Irvin allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits in 6.0 innings of work. He walked only one batter, the ninth time in 10 games he has allowed one walk or none… LHP Ranger Suarez did not allow a run in his 5.2 innings of work on September 3.

GCL Phillies - Gulf Coast League, Northwest Division…43-15, 1st place… The Phillies played only two games, as their final three regular season contests were cancelled due to inclement weather. They won both of them, and then won a one-game play-in against the GCL Braves as they moved on to the GCL finals. They dropped the first game of the best-of-three series against the GCL Cardinals on September 5 before pulling even in the series on September 6. Game three is scheduled for September 7.

Top hitting performers - INF Jose Antequera was 4-for-8 (.500) with two doubles, an RBI, a walk and a stolen base in two games… SS Cole Stobbe had four hits in six at-bats (.667), doubled, drove in a run and scored two more… CF Mickey Moniak was 3-for-9 (.333) with a stolen base and two runs scored. He finished the season with a .284 average.

Top pitching performers - LHP Nick Fanti allowed one run in 4.0 innings, striking out six batters. He finished the season with the second best ERA among all qualifying pitchers in Minor League Baseball (1.57)… RHP Luis Carrasco allowed two baserunners (H, BB) in 4.0 innings.